Track gate structure

ABSTRACT

The track gate structure comprises an obliquely movable track section durably supported for movement to operative and inoperative positions, the purpose being to selectively interrupt continuity of an overhead conveyor track which passes through a doorway, so that closure means for the doorway may be moved to a fully closed position without interference from the conveyor track; said structure including simple and reliable safety means automatically operative to preclude accidental derailment of a conveyor trolley at the movable track section.

United States Patent 1191 Herzog Mar. 5, 1974 TRACK GATE STRUCTURE 2,725,017 11 1955 Bedford 104 130 x [75] Inventor: Raymond A. Herzog, Cincinnati 1,070,186 8/1913 Schm1dt 104/93 Oh" lo Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza 1 Asslgneei The clncmmffi putcllefs S pp y Assistant Examiner-George F. Abraham p y, Cmcmnatl, Ohio Attorney, Agent, or Firm-J. Warren Kinney, Jr.

[22] Filed: Aug. 10, 1971 1211 Appl. No.: 170,603 [57] ABSTRACT The track gate structure comprises an obliquely mov- 52 us. Cl. .."104/100, 104/93, 49/69 able t l dumlbly PR for movement. 5 1 Int Cl B6) 3") operative and inoperative pos1t1ons, the purpose being [58] Field 0 Search 1041/93, no, 130 131, 100; to select1vely interrupt contmuxty of an overhead conveyor track wh1ch passes through a doorway, so that closure means for the doorway may be moved to a {56] References Cited fully closed po'smon w1thout interference from the conveyor track, sald structure including s1mp1e and UNITED STATES PATENTS reliable safety means automatically operative to pre- 94l,805 11/1909 Nel1er...l 104/100 elude accidental derailment of a conveyor trolley at 1,466,365 Krump 104/100 the movable track ection 1,550,141 8/1925 Bennington 104/100 X I 1,729,449 9/1929 Nagy 104/93 18 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENIEUHAR 5 I974 SHEEI 1 BF 3 INVENTOR RAYMOND A. HERZOG PATENT-ED 3,795,199

SHEEI 3 OF 3 INVENTOR RAYMOND A. HERZOG I W j 1 TRACK GATE STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of overhead conveyors is quite extensive in plants devoted to the processing of meat, or the storing of meat in substantial quantities, and in many instances whole or half meat animals require movement by overhead conveyor into and out of large storage or treatment chambers which may be refigerated. Such chambers usually are provided with sliding or swinging doors adapted to close doorways through which the overhead conveyors extend. With the conveyor extended through the doorway, there is posed the problem of effectively closing the doorway and isolating the treatment chamber whenever the conveyor is idle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The aforesaid problem of closing the chamber doorway about a projecting overhead conveyor has been recognized in the past, and various proposals have been advanced as alleged final solutions to the problem. One such proposal is identified with J. Nagy U.S. Pat. No. 1,729,449, dated Sept. 24, 1929, wherein is disclosed a conveyor rail passing through a doorway, the rail being severed at one side of the doorway to produce a gap to be closed by a movable rail section or gate. The construction disclosed is unnecessarily complex and comprises a substantial number of constituent parts including links and an offset actuator needlessly expensive of design.

Bennington U.S. Pat. No. 1,550,141, dated Aug. 18, 1925, discloses a hinged gate incorporated in the trackway adjacent to a'sliding door, with means arranged to drop the gate into a track-way gap incident to opening movementsof the door. The apparatus cannot be used in a C-trolley system because parts thereof overlie the upper edge of the trolley rail on which the trolley wheel rides.

Neller U.S. Pat. No. 941,805, dated Nov. 30, 1909, discloses a system in which a bar H acts to lift a hinged track section C to a raised inoperative position whenever door D is advanced toward a closed position. The popular C-trolley cannot be employed in the Neller system because hinge F overlies the track.

Krump U.S. Pat. No. 1,466,365, dated Aug. 28, 1923, discloses a track system in which a trolley itself acts to lay a movable track section for spanning a gap between two fixed aligned sections of track. The construction is highly complex, and cannot be manipulated to release a trolley and its load from the track system when necessary or desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In modern conveyor .systems for the purposes stated, it is desirable to employ C-trolleys, that is, trolleys whose hangers include a double-flanged trolley wheel adapted to ride upon the upper edge of a bar rail, or track, while the depending hanger leg, in suspending a carcass, sweeps one vertical face of the rail closely but without contact. The wheeled trolley as herein disclosed moves along the conveyor track by gravity, to approach doors and a doorway leading to or from a compartment in which some form of treatment is provided for a carcass conveyed by the trolley.

The present invention, as in the prior art, involves a gap in the conveyor track at the doorway, to permit a complete closing of the doors whenever the conveyor is inactive. According to the present invention, a displaceable short track section or gate is pivotally mounted upon a stationary main track terminal near the doorway, with its pivot disposed obliquely to the plane of the main track rail and the doorway, so that the displaceable or movable track section will be removed completely out of the plane of the main track rail when displaced to the inoperative position-Automatic means including a trip lever actuated by a trolley advancing along the main track toward the doorway, performs to initiate closing of the track gap whenever the compartment door is open, so that the trolley may not run off of the terminal end of the main track and inadvertently dump its load at the doorway.

The aforesaid oblique pivotal mount for the track gate section affords a sturdy and durable structure capable of supporting very heavy trolley loads, and ensures accuracy and reliability of gate section alignment with the stationary track sections inside and outside the compartment doorway. The oblique disposition of the gate section pivot and actuating arm, facilitates and simplifies operation of the automatic gate closing means and enhances its reliability, while ensuring complete trouble-free operation thereof.

The device of the invention, supplied as a unit, may easily be installed upon existing conveyor systems with minimal expenditure of time and labor. The device is constructed for easy operation either manually or by electrical or fluid pressure means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved track gate structure installed upon a conveyor system adjacent to a compartment doorway, the track gate being shown in closed operative position to receive a loaded trolley.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the track gate open and the compartment doors closed.

FIG. 3 is a fragmental enlarged top plan view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section on line 4 4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-section on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken on line 7-7 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of FIG. 2, showing the track gate in a fully displaced position.

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of FIG. 8 on a reduced scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, the numeral 12 denotes a C-trolley having a double-flanged wheel 14, and a depending hanger-leg 16 from which is suspended a carcass or other load 18 as by means of a hook 20. The trolley wheel rides upon the upper edge of a track rail 22 which, by preference, is a length of steel bar stock sup ported from a ceiling by hangers 24, with the side faces of the rail disposed in vertical planes. The track or rail 22, which guides the trolley by gravity toward a compartment door opening 26, may be inclined slightly downwardly in the direction of opening 26 and sliding doors 28, 28. The doors may be roller-suspended from a double track lintel 30 which spans the door opening and is anchored in the walls of a chamber or compartment accessible through opening 26.

Doors 28, 28 may be opened to the FIG. 1 position, or closed to the position of FIG. 2, either manually or by power means, as desired. Door lintel 30 may support a transverse rigid crossbar 32 carrying depending hangers 34 and 36 welded thereto. Hanger 36 supports a terminal end portion 38 of the lead-in track 22, at a location near the plane of compartment opening 26. Hanger 34 in similar manner supports the terminal end portion 40 of a receiving track 42 located within the chamber or compartment closed by doors 28, 28. The track termini 38 and 40 are spaced from one another to provide a gap between them which accommodates the doors 28, 28 when closed. The length of the gap exceeds the combined thicknesses of the doors, and the gap underlies the lintel 30 by a distance established by the length of hangers 34, 36. Said hangers preferably support the tracks as close as possible to the opposite faces of the doors when closed.

A displaceable or removable track section or gate section 44, formed preferably of flat steel bar stock, is adapted to close the gap between the track termini 38 and 40 when lowered into endwise alignment with said termini. The upper edge of gate section 44 levels with the upper edges of the stationary track sections 22 and 42 when the gate section is lowered to the operative position of FIGS. 1 and 6. When so lowered, the gate section rests firmly on two rigid saddles 46 and 48 welded, respectively, to the terminal portions 40 and 38 of the main track sections. The saddles maintain true alignment of the gate section with the main track sections, and serve to adequately support the load of a trolley passing over the gate section.

Gate section 44 includes a fixed arm 50 extending laterally from one side face of section 44, said arm being welded as shown, or otherwise fixed to the section. Arm 50 carries at its free end a sleeve 52 which is fixed to the arm, and within the sleeve is fixed one end ofa pivot shaft 54. The same end of the pivot shaft carries an actuating lever 56 having a swingable free end from which depends an actuating rod 60 used for manually lowering the lever 56 to upwardly displace arm 50 and gate section 44. The actuating lever 56 is fixed to sleeve 52 and to the adjacent end of pivot shaft 54, in any suitable manner, as by means of welding.

A bracket 62 having a bore 64 (FIG. 3), is welded or otherwise fixed at 66 to a side face of stationary track section 22, with the bore 64 pivotally supporting the shaft 54. A washer and cotter pin may be used, as shown, to retain the shaft in bore 64.

It is here noted that the axes of bore 64 and pivot shaft 54 (FIG. 3), are disposed obliquely to track section 22, to meet the major axis of section 22 at an angle of about 45.

The 45 angularity mentioned is not critical, though preferred. A perpendicular on the axis of the pivot shaft likewise meets the plane of gate section 44 at the same angularity. Accordingly, a downward displacement of actuating lever 56 will rock the shaft 54 to elevate the gate section 44 off the saddles 46 and 48, and swing the gate section to one side of the vertical plane of track section 22, see FIG. 8.

From the foregoing explanation, it is apparent that the gate section when inoperative never overlies the main track, and will not interfere with movement of trolleys along the track at any time. It is important to note also, that the gate section when swung to its inoperative limit, (FIG. 6, broken lines), moves past deadcenter of the axis of pivot shaft 54, so that its own weight and center of gravity serves to retain the gate section in the extreme inoperative position after having been so displaced. Displacement of the gate section to the inoperative position may be accomplished by manually pulling down on rod 60, or if desired, by providing power means for the same purpose.

The reference numeral 68 indicates a trip lever pivoted upon the lead-in track section at 70. One end, the heel end of the trip lever, carries an abutment in the form of a roller 72 to be struck by a flange of a trolley wheel 14 whenever a trolley advances toward the gate section along track 22. The trolley wheel in striking and passing the roller 72, depresses and rocks the heel end of the trip lever about pivot 70, this resulting in an upward deflection of the toe end 74 of the trip lever.

The toe end 74 of the trip lever is heavier than the heel end thereof, so that roller 72 normally is elevated into the path of advancement of a trolley such as 12. Thus, every trolley that passes will actuate the trip lever to rock it about pivot 70.

The toe end 74 of trip lever 68 underlies the actuator lever 56, and is disposed transversely thereof in position to strike and displace the actuator lever 56 whenever said lever 56 is lowered, as in FIGS. 8 and 9, incident to an inoperative or displaced disposition of gate section 44. Should the gate section 44 be disposed in the operative position according to FIGS. 1, 3 or 6, actuator lever 56 will be found elevated out of range of the trip lever end 74, wherefore any movement of the trip lever caused by passing trolleys will be an idle movement ineffective to strike and move the actuator lever 56.

Whenever, as in FIGS. 8 and 9, the gate section 44 is disposed in the fully displaced, past-center, inoperative position, the actuator lever 56 will be in position to receive the full impact of a blow delivered thereto upwardly by the trip lever incident to passage of an advancing trolley. The impact delivered to lever 56 by the upwardly deflected end 74 of the trip lever, serves to forcefully throw the gate unit over center with respect to pivot shaft 54, so that gate member 44 will descend onto the saddles 46, 48 forcefully and without hesitation, in time to accommodate the advancing trolley. The gate member unit is quite heavy, and will of its own weight descend forcefully to operative position upon the saddles.

Stop lugs 76 and 78 carried respectively by lever 68 and main track section 22, may be employed to limit rocking movement of trip lever 68 about pivot in counterclockwise direction, FIG. 9, so that roller 72 will normally be in position to receive impact from a trolley wheel 14. FIG. 9 shows by means of full lines the inoperative condition of the track gate unit, whereas by means of broken lines the unit is shown operative to carry a trolley advancing through a compartment doorway.

What is claimed is:

l. A track structure for guiding a succession of trolleys through a chamber access opening, and comprising in combination: a pair of fixed aligned track sections separated endwise to provide a gap, and a movable track section selectively shiftable to operative and inoperative positions for closing and opening said gap, respectively; said track sections each comprising a metallic bar having flat vertical sides and an upper edge, said upper edges adapted to support thereon the wheel of a trolley movable along the length of said track section s; means supporting the fixed aligned track sections to project toward the chamber access opening transversely of the plane of said opening, with the gap located at least partly within said opening; means mounting the movable track section upon one of the fixed track sections for shifting movement of the movable section to an inoperative position at which said movable section is located substantially to one side of a vertical plane which includes a vertical side of the fixed track sections; and means for shifting the movable track section to the operative and inoperativepositions.

2. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the weight of the movable track section is utilized in achieving final placement of the movable track section into operative position.

3: The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein said means for shifting the movable track section to the operative position is controlled by the trolley in advancing toward the chamber access opening.

4. The combination as defined by claim 3, wherein the means for shifting the movable track section to the inoperative position is free of control by the trolley advancement.

5. The combination as defined by claim 4, wherein the last mentioned means is controllable at will by an attendant.

6. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the movable track section in the inoperative position is disposed wholly to one side of the mean plane of a fixed track section.

7. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the mounting means for the movable track section includes a supporting pivot shaft whose axis is disposed obliquely to the vertical plane aforesaid.

8. The combination as defined by claim 7, wherein the obliquity of said axis to said vertical plane approximates 45.

9. The combination as defined by claim 3, wherein the means last mentioned includes an elongate trip lever pivoted intermediate its ends upon said one fixed track section, said trip lever having a heel end to be struck and moved by an advancing trolley, and a toe end movable to strike and impel the movable track section toward the operative position.-

10. The combination as defined by claim 9, wherein the mounting means for the movable track section includes a supporting pivot shaft whose axis is disposed obliquely to the vertical plane aforesaid; said shaft axis being located so that the center of gravity of the movable track section in moving to the fully inoperative position thereof, passes beyond a dead center with respec to the shaft axis. I i

11. The combination as defined by claim 10, wherein the toe end of the trip lever limits the extent to which the center of gravity of the movable track section may pass dead center in reaching the inoperative position aforesaid.

12. The combination as defined by claim 10, wherein the movable track section when operative, is out of striking range of the toe end of the trip lever.

13. The combination as defined by claim 1-, wherein said last mentioned means includes: a pivot shaft supsection, said pivot shaft having an axis disposed obliquely to the vertical plane aforesaid; an actuating lever fixed relative to the movable track section for swinging movement therewith; an elongate trip lever pivoted intermediate its ends upon said one fixed track section, said trip lever having a heel end to be struck and moved by an advancing trolley, and a toe end movable to strike and move said actuating lever for inpelling the movable track section toward the operative position.

14. The combination as defined by claim 13, wherein the oblique pivot shaft axis is located so that the center of gravity of the movable track section in moving to the fully inoperative position thereof, passes beyond a dead center with respect to the shaft axis, placing the actuating lever in the path of movement of the toe end of the trip lever.

15. The combination as defined by claim 14, wherein the heel end of the trip lever in the operative position of the movable track section, is out of striking range of the toe end of the trip lever. I

16. The combination as defined by claim 15, wherein the means for shifting the movable track section to the inoperative position, includes said actuating lever.

17. The combination as defined by claim 13, wherein the means for shifting the movable track section to the inoperative position, includes said actuating lever.

18. The combination as defined by claim 17, wherein the actuating lever in the operative position of the movable track section, is out of striking range of the toe end of the trip lever. 

1. A track structure for guiding a succession of trolleys through a chamber access opening, and comprising in combination: a pair of fixed aligned track sections separated endwise to provide a gap, and a movable track section selectively shiftable to operative and inoperative positions for closing and opening said gap, respectively; said track sections each comprising a metallic bar having flat vertical sides and an upper edge, said upper edges adapted to support thereon the wheel of a trolley movable along the length of said track sections; means supporting the fixed aligned track sections to project toward the chamber access opening transversely of the plane of said opening, with the gap located at least partly within said opening; means mounting the movable track section upon one of the fixed track sections for shifting movement of the movable section to an inoperative position at which said movable section is located substantially to one side of a vertical plane which includes a vertical side of the fixed track sections; and means for shifting the movable track section to the operative and inoperative positions.
 2. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the weight of the movable track section is utilized in achieving final placement of the movable track section into operative position.
 3. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein said means for shifting the movable track section to the operative position is controlled by the trolley in advancing toward the chamber access opening.
 4. The combination as defined by claim 3, wherein the means for shifting the movable track section to the inoperative position is free of control by the trolley advancement.
 5. The combination as defined by claim 4, wherein the last mentioned means is controllable at will by an attendant.
 6. The combination as deFined by claim 1, wherein the movable track section in the inoperative position is disposed wholly to one side of the mean plane of a fixed track section.
 7. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the mounting means for the movable track section includes a supporting pivot shaft whose axis is disposed obliquely to the vertical plane aforesaid.
 8. The combination as defined by claim 7, wherein the obliquity of said axis to said vertical plane approximates 45*.
 9. The combination as defined by claim 3, wherein the means last mentioned includes an elongate trip lever pivoted intermediate its ends upon said one fixed track section, said trip lever having a heel end to be struck and moved by an advancing trolley, and a toe end movable to strike and impel the movable track section toward the operative position.
 10. The combination as defined by claim 9, wherein the mounting means for the movable track section includes a supporting pivot shaft whose axis is disposed obliquely to the vertical plane aforesaid, said shaft axis being located so that the center of gravity of the movable track section in moving to the fully inoperative position thereof, passes beyond a dead center with respect to the shaft axis.
 11. The combination as defined by claim 10, wherein the toe end of the trip lever limits the extent to which the center of gravity of the movable track section may pass dead center in reaching the inoperative position aforesaid.
 12. The combination as defined by claim 10, wherein the movable track section when operative, is out of striking range of the toe end of the trip lever.
 13. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means includes: a pivot shaft supporting the movable track section upon said one fixed section, said pivot shaft having an axis disposed obliquely to the vertical plane aforesaid; an actuating lever fixed relative to the movable track section for swinging movement therewith; an elongate trip lever pivoted intermediate its ends upon said one fixed track section, said trip lever having a heel end to be struck and moved by an advancing trolley, and a toe end movable to strike and move said actuating lever for inpelling the movable track section toward the operative position.
 14. The combination as defined by claim 13, wherein the oblique pivot shaft axis is located so that the center of gravity of the movable track section in moving to the fully inoperative position thereof, passes beyond a dead center with respect to the shaft axis, placing the actuating lever in the path of movement of the toe end of the trip lever.
 15. The combination as defined by claim 14, wherein the heel end of the trip lever in the operative position of the movable track section, is out of striking range of the toe end of the trip lever.
 16. The combination as defined by claim 15, wherein the means for shifting the movable track section to the inoperative position, includes said actuating lever.
 17. The combination as defined by claim 13, wherein the means for shifting the movable track section to the inoperative position, includes said actuating lever.
 18. The combination as defined by claim 17, wherein the actuating lever in the operative position of the movable track section, is out of striking range of the toe end of the trip lever. 